One for V Day

I recently was spending time with some teenage girls. I glanced over to see one of them gently turning the pages in her magazine. I laughed a bit as I asked “Is there anything you aren’t telling me?” The magazine was a bridal catalog, filled with fancy gowns and ideal poses. She answered, “No, I just love to look at these, they are my favorite”. Dreams were being formed, shaped, trimmed, tucked with each turn of the page. She hadn’t ever even had a boyfriend, but the hope continued to grow for the fulfillment of plans for that special white-satin draped moment. Hours and days cumulatively spent pondering the specifics of some far off occasion. The delight in the thrill of love and excitement of marriage were captivating. “The one” as yet unknown, but known somehow to be completing and satisfying in the walk through life. She naively dreams of perfect beauty and love, a perfect life, a perfect day. How much she wants to give her life away. Can’t wait for it. Longs to say “yes”.

And yet there is a divide when God asks for a life. We shy away, a bit put off that He would think this a valid option. I mean, maybe its okay to ask if You can stop in from time to time for a visit, but all of it? The audacity and impudence of God for asking for our everything. Often He is greeted in an unwelcome manner, as if through the locked screen door. Suspiciously we may ask what He wants, but we are taken aback when He wants too much. Funny how we would question His motives, wonder if He’s worth it. But when some half-way handsome fellow with a smile walks in and sweeps our feet out from under us, we would gladly promise everything. On the one hand completely trustworthy, patient, loving, all knowing, all powerful – we find Him too scary. But on the other hand, the one marred by frequent failures, irrationality, fickleness, along with a few decent attributes hidden amongst all the defects – we find him delightful. Why can’t we see that God’s love infinitely greater, more secure, more sheltering?

I think of the young girl who sits dreaming, the future full of wishes. Somewhat worthy dreams, somewhat false reality. And I wonder, is what you dream of worth giving a life away for? Is it going to satisfy? Or will imaginations hit the rock hard ground of the earth we trod and the fleshly-ness of it disappoint? Maybe someone tall, dark, and handsome is coming. I do hope that sweet girl finds great love that makes her days brighter, her smile bigger. But I know for sure, Someone is going to ask for her life, all of it. But He is better than the perfect man she day-dreams about as she flips the pages of the magazine. And if she dares to say “yes”, He is going to be infinitely more amazing than what she has dreamt. He can take a woman and breathe life into her. She will only have thought that she lived, dreamed, was, before He came. 

May she, and many others, boldly welcome the One who does complete. May each find dreams bigger and fuller than imagination ever lent before. When He asks, let us not draw back and shy away, but instead respond with “Here’s all I’ve got, all that I am”.